short story unit

what are the narrative elements?

point of view, temporal setting, spatial setting, characterization, literary devices, title, elements of opposition, significance of the ending, and theme

temporal setting; examples?

related to time (time - of day, season, year, literary time period, etc.)

spatial setting

physical setting/related to physical location

what are the three aspects of characterization?

physical, emotional, and psychological

how can you describe aspects of characterization?

through adjectives

perception

how a character perceives the world, is driven, or behaves

what’s elements of oppositions? examples?

when any pair of elements contrast sharply; night vs day, freedom vs trapped, etc.

theme

the overall meaning or universal message that applies to the story

juxtaposition

placing contrasting elements side by side for emphasis

eponym

a name of noun formed after a person

mittyesque

someone who is an absent-minded dreamer

mundane

lacking interest or excitement; dull; of the earthly world

point of view

perspective from which a story is told

first person/narrator

major/minor character character within the story who uses the pronoun “I”

naïve/unreliable narrator

first-person narrator leading us to question the accuracy of his or her version of characters and events

third-person

POV of narrator whose outside the story and refers to characters as, “he,” “she,” or “they,” or say their names

third-person omniscient

all-knowing presence who has access to thoughts, feelings, and actions of all the characters

third-person intrusive

evaluates the actions and motives of characters and inserts other of his/her personal views into a story

third-person objective

merely shows/reports actions and characters without evaluating them

third-person limited

relates events from the perspective of one of the characters within the story

stream of concsiousness

narration that focuses on one character’s thoughts, feelings, and associations

interior monologue

self-talk, inner speech, or internal discourse

satire

the use of humor to ridicule and expose the shortcomings and failings of society, individuals, and institutions, often in the hope that chance and reform are possible

parody

a comical imitation of a serious piece of literature with the intent of ridiculing the author or his work

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration for literary effect

understatement

when speaker attributes less importance than subject would seem to demand

reversal or inversion; example/

• a switch in the normal word order, often used for emphasis

• (normal) i have never seen such a thing → (inverted) never have i seen such a thing

sarcasm

sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain

epistrophe

the repition of a word at the end of successive clauses or sentences

in medis res

a literary work that begins in the middle of the story

invective

harsh language

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses

wit

mental sharpness; natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor

fawn

displaying exaggerated flattery or affection

abase

to lower oneself in rank, office, prestige, or esteem

lai / lay

brief narrative poem about love and adventure

anachronism

an element in a story that is out of its time frame

allusion

a reference in literature or in art to previous literature, history, mythology, pop culture, current events, or the bible.

ambiguity

quality of being intentionally unclear; ambiguous events or situations that can be interpreted in more than one way

allegory

an expression, by means of symbolic fictional characters and actions, of truths about human conduct and experience.

didactic

a story, speech, essay, or play is one in which the author’s primary purpose is to instruct, teach, or moralize

flashback

interruption of a narrative by the introduction of an earlier event or by an image of a past experience

symbol

a concrete object, scene, or action which has deeper significance because it is associated with something else; often an important idea or theme in the work

syntax

the way in which words, phrases, and sentences are ordered and connected

bohemian

an unconventional and often impoverished lifestyle dedicated to artistic pursuits

raiment

clothing or apparel

familial

relating to or occurring in a family or its members

chronological

(of a record of events) starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occured

irony

the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous/emphatic effect

verbal irony

saying one thing, but meaning the opposite, often for humor or sarcasm

situational irony

an outcome that contradicts expectations

dramatic irony

the audience knows more than the characters, creating suspense or tragedy